This piece I wrote for a class that focuses on writing about experiences with an emphasis on marketing. The introduction lays a good foundation for the material included and the context for it, so jump in and feel free to leave a comment if you’ve ever been to these places or have any interest in visiting in the future!
Introduction:
It seems like everyone can experience everywhere these days, with the recent boom in Google Street View, social media influencers traveling around the world, and television broadcasting videos from breathtaking areas. While this is a great tool in many ways, there is a very significant difference between sitting on your couch looking at photographs or videos and experiencing the wind in your hair or the beauty of your surroundings.
Personal Relevance:
I have been all over the United States, with very little opportunity to get out of the country. My earliest memories of travel were between Colorado and California; I lived in Colorado and my grandparents lived in California. I quickly grew to be fond of traveling because how awesome is it that you can hop on a plane in a place that’s 30 degrees and snowing, and just a few hours later be strolling along a beach in just a swimsuit. As I grew up, I continued to travel back and forth from California, but added different locations like Kansas, Missouri, and Florida. Now, as a 23-year-old college student with the ability for independence and a great tent, I have been all over. Here are some of the most interesting and fun places that I have been to recently.
1: Taos, New Mexico
Taos is a fantastic spot to visit for numerous reasons. My favorite part about it was skiing Taos Ski Valley. I was lucky enough to be there right after it dumped a ton of snow, and Kachina Peak, the highest point on the mountain, was ready to access. This is the view from the top of the peak, the cornice to the left provided a great spot to jump into the run.
Another aspect of Taos that I unexpectedly loved was the architectural style. There is a big culture of adobe buildings in New Mexico, and Taos proves to be no exception. The style of houses is fascinating to me, as I had not been to many places before that had such unique construction.
2: Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
I will start by saying that I love The Lake of the Ozarks more than anywhere else in the United States. This being said, it is not for everyone. As opposed to Denver, Boulder, and Longmont, where I have spent the majority of my life, Missouri slides way over on the political spectrum. It is a primarily conservative place, and the Ozarks are no exception. It has a special place in my heart though, because my grandfather used to live in Kansas City and built himself a little cabin at the Ozarks in the 70s. Because of this, I have spent a chunk of almost every summer to date in the Ozarks, though slightly less since my grandfather passed away in 2011. I love the Ozarks because it is such a fantastic spread of people from all walks of life, as there is a huge crowd that lives there and there is a huge crowd that vacations there. In fact, the Lake of the Ozarks has more coastline than the entire state of California. Don’t believe me? Google it!
The Lake of the Ozarks offers beautiful, warm water, and water sports to satisfy anyone and everyone. Love boats? The annual Shootout boasts the biggest and baddest boats in the United States. It’s a fantastic event. Hundreds of boats all secure their spot for the day, moor to the boat next to them, and watch the fastest boats ever made rip through the channel in a high speed race.
Don’t care for boats? You could check out the festival on land occurring while the racing happens. There are venders for everything from food to clothing to dock building to games. Or, you could bring a pool noodle and float around in an adjacent area enjoying the sun and the water.
The shootout is just once a year, and the rest of the year proves to be no less fun. There’s fishing, boating, swimming, cookouts, socializing, and everything else that people do when they’re having fun. Often, the lake will look like this on a cool evening, the perfect backdrop for a barbeque and socializing.
So, if you get the chance, and can deal with the political culture shock, I would highly recommend checking out this place, there isn’t another place like it in the world!
